Illness, Missing A Marks, and the Preliminary Mark
A candidate in L1 Advanced has missed four of the nine A-mark assessments in s7 because of documented glandular fever. Her school’s assessment policy states that A marks are based on at least six assessments; if a candidate has fewer than six, the A mark is recorded as ‘not valid’ and the preliminary mark is calculated using B marks only. The candidate has five valid A marks averaging 68%. Her B marks average 74%. The EB regulations require a preliminary mark that combines A and B marks; they do not allow B marks alone to substitute for A marks. The school’s head of year proposes using the B-mark average as the A mark to avoid penalizing the candidate. The L1 teacher objects, arguing that B marks are summative and measure different skills. The candidate’s parents have submitted a medical certificate and request that the school ‘do whatever is fairest’. The preliminary mark deadline is in ten days.
1. Evaluate the head of year’s proposal to use the B-mark average as the A mark. Is this consistent with the EB regulations and sound assessment practice? Explain.
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The head of year’s proposal is not consistent with EB regulations or sound assessment. A marks are continuous, formative, and based on a range of work; B marks are summative examinations. Using the B average (74) as the A mark would: (1) double-count the B marks; (2) remove the continuous assessment component; (3) give the candidate an advantage over peers whose A marks reflect their actual classwork; (4) make the preliminary mark incomparable across candidates. The EB requires both A and B components. The correct route is the school’s extenuating circumstances procedure: document the illness, offer make-up assessments if feasible, or use the average of the five valid A marks (68) with a note. A statistical adjustment, such as imputing the class mean for the missing assessments, is also defensible if applied consistently. The head of year’s intention is fair, but the method is not.
2. Recommend a fair and defensible preliminary mark for the candidate, showing your calculation. What steps should the school take before submitting the mark?
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Using the available A marks (68) and B marks (74): preliminary = 0.4×68 + 0.6×74 = 27.2 + 44.4 = 71.6, rounded to 72. If the school arranges two make-up assessments and the candidate scores 70 and 72, the A mark becomes (5×68 + 70 + 72)/7 = 482/7 = 68.86; preliminary = 0.4×68.86 + 0.6×74 = 27.54 + 44.4 = 71.94, rounded to 72. The result is stable, which suggests the missing assessments do not materially change the outcome. Before submitting, the school should: (1) confirm the medical certificate; (2) offer make-ups; (3) record the method in the candidate’s file; (4) inform the candidate and parents in writing; (5) check that the method is applied consistently to other candidates with similar absences. The school should not use 74 as the A mark. The final mark should be 72, with a note that the A mark is based on five assessments plus documented extenuating circumstances.